【Taiwan Immigrants’ Global News Network】Edited by Raymond Rodriguez
To prevent illegal smuggling of meat and processed meat products from areas with swine fever, and to prevent the spread of the virus, the National Immigration Agency (NIA, 移民署) fully mobilized the step approach, from propaganda, gathering clues, to investigations using propaganda posters and videos in 7 languages, checking online shopping, Facebook businesses, and strengthening the check on food stores, restaurants, snack shops, and warehouse businesses. In the past two weeks, the NIA mobilized 8,196 people, inspected 2,139 locations, and seized 91 cases of pork products of unknown origin with a total weight of 928 kilograms, of which 122 kilograms were seized within one day. All meat products have been sent for testing, and 3 of them have tested positive for the African swine fever virus. In addition, the NIA has actively promoted to migrant workers, fishermen, and new immigrant groups, and after extensive media reports, it has attracted widespread attention.
Minister Hsu Kuo-Yung (徐國勇) of the Ministry of the Interior (MOI, 內政部) and Director Zhong Ching-Kun (鐘景琨) of the NIA said that with the coming Mid-Autumn Festival, everyone is advised not to purchase moon cakes containing meat products from areas with African swine fever and not to send them to Taiwan to avoid accidental violation of the law. The Chiayi Service Station of the NIA (移民署嘉義服務站) also asked the new immigrants to record promotional videos in English, Indonesian, Vietnamese, and Thai to remind the new immigrants to "completely prevent the African swine fever".
National Immigration Agency seized pork products of unknown origin that tested positive for African swine fever
Of the pork products sold online that were seized by the NIA, 3 tested positive for swine fever, and 2 of them are mooncakes sold through the Facebook community. The immigration officers used their language skills advantage to catch the online buyers. The other case was the seizure of 32 kilograms of Vietnamese pork products, of which 18 kilograms of ham and crispy bone rolls tested positive for swine fever virus. If the contaminated products enter the market, they will seriously endanger the safety of the pork industry. There are currently 6,759 pig farmers in Taiwan, raising 5.514 million pigs, with a production value of NT$70.94 billion. If swine fever invades the country, the consequences will be disastrous.
National Immigration Agency seized Vietnamese mooncakes of unknown origin that tested positive for African swine fever
The Mid-Autumn Festival in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Vietnam is the same as in Taiwan. Friends and relatives will give mooncakes to each other. The NIA specifically appeals to foreign migrant workers, fishermen, sailors, and new immigrants not to bring in or send mooncakes containing pork or processed meat products from Hong Kong, Macau, Indonesia, Cambodia, the Philippines, South Korea, and areas with swine fever. They are advised not to buy meat products from unknown sources to avoid accidental violation of the law. Those who violate the regulations, can be fined up to NT$1 million. Those who send or purchase pork products from abroad will also be punished with a fixed-term imprisonment of not more than 7 years and a fine of not more than NT$3 million.
National Immigration Agency seized Vietnamese mooncakes of unknown origin that tested positive for African swine fever
